Abstract
The microcirculation within and oxygen availability to peripheral tissues are of importance during anesthesia. Hemorheology, the study of the flow behaviour of blood, is an inherent component of this subject. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of propofol on hemorheological parameters including hematocrit, blood viscosity, plasma viscosity and erythrocyte deformability. In vitro, propofol, nor Intralipid 10%, which closely resembles its vehicle, exhibited any statistically significant effect on erythrocyte deformability. In the in vivo comparison between two groups of ASA I patients undergoing minor orthopedic surgery, anesthetized with either propofol or nitrous oxide/isoflurane, both showed a decreased hematocrit and whole blood viscosity. A trend of increased erythrocyte deformability was observed in the propofol group only, which however was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the hemorheological effect of propofol appears to be largely comparable to nitrous oxide/Isoflurane in young healthy patients undergoing minor orthopedic surgery.
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